Sandgate Community Garden Team Diary Entry for 24th March: Six Inches of Soil.
Happy Easter!
The clocks have changed and the Easter holiday season is upon us. We have had less of the wet stuff this week and temperatures are gradually rising. That, combined with longer daylight hours, means the seedlings are starting to grow even faster. This is of course a good thing – apart from the sycamore seedlings covering the plot which continue to plague us.
We cut the very first asparagus spears which were really fat and juicy, unlike the pickings of the sprouting broccoli which are starting to lose some vigour, becoming smaller and more spindly with each harvest. It will eventually get to the point where we cannot be bothered to pick the small offerings and decide to pull the plants up. The Nero kale had started to flower and so they were removed and composted. The curly kale is showing no sign of flowering just yet.
Wednesday was a particularly busy day with a ‘Green Impact Forum’ organised by the Kent Community Foundation. It was a great opportunity to listen and contribute to discussions around green issues – to be able to catch up with acquaintances as well as meet new individuals and community groups.
In the evening there was a showing of the much awaited documentary film ‘Six Inches of Soil’. The film is about regenerative farming, following three new farmers over the year in 2022. It was truly inspirational, and gives hope for a much needed overhaul of our farming and food systems. The film is touring the country and the message will hopefully get to as many people as possible. The film was paid for through ‘crowd funding’ and has been several years in the making from start to finish – it has been a long wait to eventually see it.
Talking of filmmaking, one of our gardeners, Theresa, has been awarded winner of the best environmental film at the Folkestone Film Festival for her story ‘I Am Tree’. Theresa was so upset at the loss of several trees in Sandgate because of housing developments recently, that she felt inspired to write the script and get the film made. The sky is the limit now as the film goes on to other film festivals and we eagerly wait to see how it fares.
It seems there is no end to our gardeners’ talents. We were treated on Saturday to two different types of homemade sourdough freshly baked that very morning for us to trial. Both loaves were absolutely delicious and won our votes! We continue to swap recipes and share good food as the learning certainly does not stop with just the growing and sharing of the food we grow in the garden.
What’s Next?
- Keep attacking the sycamore seedlings
- Plant out some of the early cabbages
- Plant out the beetroot
- Check on the growth of the hops
This weeks update from the Sandgate Community Garden Diary.